In virtually all northern tier states and provinces, snow removal is a major winter problem. In many areas, snow does not melt until spring. Removing snow from streets and roads takes an enormous amount of tax dollars. Equipment is used to plow the snow into ditches or uniform rows. Snow blowers and loaders are then used to move snow from the roads into off road ditches, lawns, or into dump trucks, for hauling the snow to large open snow dumps. In some locations these dump sites store piles of snow forty feet high or more. At these dumps, more equipment is needed to push the snow into piles and to keep the piles managed. Such activities cost communities dearly.
Even in rural areas, where snow removal is not as problematic, finding places to store snow can be difficult. Moreover, the cost of the equipment for rural snow removal and storage is also expensive.